Across all industries, maintenance departments are often viewed as cost centers. When the economy struggles, this department is targeted for cutbacks. While organizations often fail to see the real value that maintenance plays in daily operations, the reality is that maintenance departments keep operations from bottlenecking. They ensure that every physical aspect of a business runs smoothly and efficiently, which has a direct effect on an organization’s bottom line.

"Reengineering strives to break away from the old rules about how we organize and conduct business. It involves recognizing and rejecting some of them and then finding imaginative new ways to accomplish work."

If your company is looking to purchase a new Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), you probably already know the benefits of implementing a CMMS. Some of the benefits, such as increased productivity and reduced maintenance costs might be necessary for your business to succeed in today’s marketplace. While you should plan for success, part of the planning process should consider the other side of the coin; the most common reasons why facility management software fails. Up to 80% of CMMS adoptions fail due to poor implementation or lack of support. By addressing the common stumbling points early on, you and your facility department can ensure success.

Have you ever been a part of a team that is using a complex enterprise software system and thought, “This is too much software”? If you have, you’re not the only one. Having worked with several enterprise systems over the years, I have come to a common conclusion - that something simpler would have been better.

Are you still relying on paper, Excel, email, Access, or other unorganized homegrown systems to keep track of your work histories and equipment? If you have been thinking about making the jump into maintenance software from what you are currently using, you may be wondering about the impact on your team when making the switch.

If you are in this situation, you would be one of many that are trying to figure out what exactly they are up for. I can tell you that depending on the kind of software you choose, you may end up having to drastically change the way you run your department.

If you're in the market for a maintenance management solution, but are unsure of the benefits and drawbacks of different delivery options, this post will help you to clear the water as to why you should consider a web-based CMMS versus an on-premise solution. First things first, we have to define what each of these terms mean.

The metrics are out! Software Advice, an online service that helps people find the right software for their organization, has released the newest statistics on CMMS buyers trends for 2014. The graphs provided give insight into the demographics of today's prospective maintenance departments and what they are looking for in a CMMS. Last years research study focused on current users which can be viewed at the end of this article. The 2014 BuyerView results are right on par with what Que Centre is currently offering and what we have planned for improvements this year.

As organizations grow, so will the need for standardization and process improvement. Without these elements, the culture of "fighting fires" will continue to be the norm for maintenance departments. Standardized asset management programs such as those outlined by the International Standards Organization (ISO), establish benchmarks for asset quality control leading to fewer down times, longer asset life, and lower energy consumption. There is now a new ISO standard for managing assets that may soon be implemented by your organization.

One of the most important qualities a maintenance professional needs to have is resourcefulness. As newer generations start to fill maintenance positions, it will be up to the managers to oversee training and to make sure inexperienced employees have the resources to complete different types of corrective and preventive maintenance tasks. Utilizing Youtube will help you facilitate this process.

Historically, maintenance and facility professionals started their careers without formal education on how to do their jobs. Most likely they started as apprentices or hired hands. As time has passed and the roles of today's maintainers has expanded, it's more difficult and costly for organizations to train the next generation if they rely solely on on-the-job training.

Facility Management News & Tips

This blog covers facilities and maintenance industry news as well as expert articles and tips for managing an effective maintenance organization. Q Ware CMMS is a facility management software package, a product of C&S Companies.

About Q Ware CMMS

Q Ware cloud-based facility management software makes maintenance simple for small to medium-sized organizations that currently use paper-only or inefficient legacy systems to manage their maintenance needs. Q Ware is a product of C&S Companies, an engineering firm with 45 years of experience.